Portable mobile railroad track gauge



April 8, 1958 D. CUTLER 2,829,433

PORTABLE MOBILE RAILROAD TRACK GAUGE Filed Feb. 25, 1955;

3' Jfl d Z5 1 INVENTOR.

Ev M5M% 9 5 3 32 61 R46 ATTORNEYS United States Patent PORTABLE MOBILE RAILROAD TRACK GAUGE Dan L. Cutler, Horicon, Wis.

Application February 25, 1955, Serial No. 490,628

1 Claim. (Cl. 33-446) This invention relates to a measuring instrument, and more particularly to a gauge for measuring the distance between the rails of a railroad track.

The object of the invention is to provide a gauge which is portable and which is electrically operated so that the distance between rails of a railroad track can be readily ascertained.

Another object of the invention is to provide a portable electric mobile railroad track gauge which will accurately measure the distance between the rails of a railroad track and whereby the device can be readily pulled behind a railroad motor inspection car or the like.

A further object of the invention is to provide a portable railroad track gauge which is extremely simple and inexpensive to manufacture.

Other objects and advantages will be apparent during the course of the following description.

In the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this application, and in which like numerals are used to designate like parts throughout the same:

Figure 1 is an end elevational view of the portable track gauge, constructed according to the present invention, and with the railroad tracks shown in section.

Figure 2 is an enlarged elevational view of the measuring device, with parts broken away and in section.

Figure 3 is a sectional View taken on the line 3-3 of Figure 2.

Figure 4 is a sectional view taken on the line 44 of Figure 2.

Figure 5 is a sectional view illustrating the wiring diagram for the present invention.

Figure 6 is a sectional view taken on the line 66 of Figure 2.

Figure 7 is a fragmentary elevational view, with parts broken away and in section, showing the collar and clamp.

Referring in detail to the drawings, the numeral 10 designates each of the pair of rails which form part of the usual railroad tracks, and the rails 10 are supported on the usual ties 11, Figure 1. The present invention is directed to a gauge for measuring the distance between the pair of rails 10, and the measuring instrument includes a horizontally disposed cylindrical axle 12 which has a wheel 14 journaled on an end thereof. The wheel 14 is provided with an annular flange 15 which engages the inner surface of one of the rails 10. An end of the axle 12 projects into a cylindrical hollow sleeve 16, and the sleeve 16 can be secured to the axle 12 in any suitable manner, as for example by means of welding 17.

Telescopically or adjustably mounted in the sleeve 16 is a shaft 18, there being a coil spring 19 positioned in the sleeve 16 and interposed between the axle 12 and shaft 18, the coil spring 19 serving to normally urge the shaft 18 away from the axle 12. A wheel or drum 20 is mounted on an end of the shaft 18, and the shaft 18 may be provided with a threaded portion 21 which has a nut 22 arranged thereon for maintaining the wheel 20 in place on the shaft. The wheel 20 is provided with an ice annular flange 23 which engages the inner surface of the other rail 10, Figure 1.

Extending upwardly from the sleeve 16 is a finger 24 which provides a support for a horizontally disposed bolt or securing element 25, Figure 5. A bushing 26 is mounted on an insulated casing 34 which surrounds the bolt 25, and partitions 33 of insulated material divide the bushing 26 into a plurality of separate sections 27, 28, 29, 30, 31 and 32. These sections are thus electrically separated from each other, for a purpose to be later described.

A collar 35 is mounted on the shaft 18 and secured thereon by means of a clamp 37, Figure 7, and the collar 35 is provided with an annular lip 36. A wire 38 leads from the finger 24- to a suitable source of electrical energy such as a battery 39, and a wire 40 leads from the battery 39 to a plurality of light bulbs 41, 42, 43 and 44, and these light bulbs may be mounted on an insulated panel 45 which can be arranged in a convenient position for viewing. The lip 36 and finger 24 may be grounded as at 46, Figure 5.

A means is provided for connecting the measuring device of the present invention to a suitable towing vehicle such as an inspection car, and this means comprises a pair of brackets 47 which are secured to the shaft 18 and axle 12. Arms 48 extend upwardly from the brackets 47 and clamps 50 on the upper ends of the arms 48 connect the rods 49 to the arms. The rods 49 are adapted to be connected in any suitable manner to the towing vehicle.

From the foregoing it is apparent that there has been provided a gauge which will facilitate the measuring of distances between rails 10 which form part of a railroad track or the like. In use, the rods 43 may be attached to an inspection car or other vehicle and towed along the rails 10. The spring 19 normally urges the shaft 18 outwardly of the sleeve 16 so that the flange 15 of the wheel 14 will engage the inner surface of one rail 10, while the flange 23 of the other wheel 20 will engage the inner surface of the opposite rail. The collar 35 is clamped on the shaft 18, so that depending upon the position of the wheel 2t) and shaft 18, the lip 36 will engage one of the sections of the bushing 26 as shown in the drawings. Thus, with the collar 35 positioned as shown in Figure 5, the lip 36 engages or contacts the section 31 so that the electrical circuit to the bulb 44 is completed or energized whereby this bulb 44 will be lit up. The bulbs 41, 42, 43 and 44 can be mounted on a panel 45 which may be arranged in any suitable location as for example in the inspection car and by observing that the bulb 44 is illuminated and comparing this illumination with a known calibrated chart or scale, the exact distance between the rails 10 can be ascertained. Similarly, if the lip 36 engages the section 39 the bulb 43 will be illuminated, and if the lip 36 engages the section 29 the bulb 42 will be illuminated. if the lip 36 engages the section 28 the bulb 41 can be illuminated and these bulbs can be of different colors so as to readily show the distance between the rails 10. It is to be noted that the shaft 18 is shiftable longitudinally in the sleeve 16.

Thus, it will be seen that there has been provided a portable battery type electric mobile railroad track gauge which can be attached to a railroad inspection motor car so as to permit checking of'the distance between the two rails 10. The present invention is simple in construction and has the advantage that an inspector can cover all of the track and run the gauge on every inch of the track in one operation when attached to his inspection motor car. Previously the checking of such rails was a time consuming and laborious task. The wheelflanges 15 and 23 are kept tight along the inside of the rails by the expanding spring 19. The light bulbs 41, 42, 43 and 44 may be arranged in difierent colors so that a blue light will be actuated when the gauge is within one-half of an inch of a standard gauge or 56 /2 inches up to 56% inches. Also, when the rails are 57 inches apart the yellow light will go on, and when the rails spread to 57% inches or more the red light goes on. If desired a bell could also be connected to the red light circuit to ring when the red light goes on. The hitch by which the gauge is connected to the motor car is of the ball and socket type so that suflicient downward pressure is exerted to keep the wheels in tight contact with the rails.

Iclaim:

A portable battery type railroad track gauge for checking the distances between two rails, comprising a hor-izontally disposed cylindrical axle, a wheel mounted on an end of said axle and including an annular flange engaging the inner surface of one of the rails, a hollow sleeve extending from the other end of said axle and secured thereto, a horizontally disposed shaft telescopically mounted in said sleeve, a wheel mounted on an end of said shaft and including an annular flange abutting the inner surface of the other rail, a finger extending upwardly from said sleeve and secured thereto, a horizontally disposed securing element extending from said finger, an insulating casing surrounding said securing element, a bushing mounted on said securing element, a plurality of partitions of insulated material arranged in said bushing and defining separate sections in said bushing, a collar of metal mounted on said shaft and including an annular lip mounted for movement along the sections of said bushings, a clamp for maintaining said collar on said shaft, lights electrically connected to the sections of said bushings, a battery electrically connected to said lights, a coil spring positioned in said sleeve and interposed between said axle and shaft for normally urging the shaft away from the axle, means for attaching said gauge to a towing vehicle, said means comprising a pair of brackets mounted on said axle and shaft, said brackets rotatably receiving said axle and shaft, arms extending upwardly from said brackets, clamps on the upper ends of said arms, rods connected by said clamps to said arms, said lights being selectively energized depending upon the distance between the rails.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 455,268 Wiesebrock June 30, 1891 747,872 Ellis et al Dec. 22, 1903 853,126 Shires May 7, 1907 1,031,488 Taylor July 2, 1912 1,131,377 Henington Mar. 9, 1915 1,611,185 Gunn Dec. 21, 1926 2,277,902 Carbonaro Mar. 31, 1942 FOREIGN PATENTS 664,040 France Apr. 16, 1929 

